Categoría: poetry

More info on the song: http://bit.ly/AFPMachete.

MACHETE, by Amanda Palmer

i have never liked the box of knives
you said was a paradox because you’re kind
but withstood a childhood that robbed you blind
of love that was safe and so you learned to fight
x3

what do i do with this stuff?
it seems like yesterday i called you up
i had a terrible case of the past
i didn’t know how to get it off
i didn’t know how to get it off

and you took
your machete
and you sliced through the vines that wrapped around me
and you said
i don’t know what i’m doing
so i’ll just keep on cutting
it’s worth a little blood to get your arms free

i have never liked the box of knives
you said was a paradox because you’re kind
but withstood a childhood that robbed you blind
of love that was safe and so you learned to fight
x2

what do i do with this stuff?
it seems like yesterday i was in love
i kept of covering the soft parts up
i didn’t know how to get them off
i didn’t know how to get them off

and you took your machete
and you hacked through the woods in the surrounding
and you said
i don’t know where i’m going
i just know that i’m heading from
the dead things piling up behind me

and you took
your machete
and you carved out a path to my chest and you said see
there’s nothing not worth keeping
you’ve felt so many beatings
but
nothing’s going to work if you believe me
nothing’s going to work if you believe me

i have never liked the box of knives
you said was a paradox because you’re kind
but withstood a childhood that robbed you blind
of love that was safe and so you learned to fight
x2

i have never liked the box of knives
i took it to the oceanside the day you died
i stood out on the dock
no matter how hard i tried
i couldn’t drop them in
and i collapsed and cried:

what do i do with this stuff?
it seems like yesterday you were alive
and it’s as if you never really died
and it’s as if you never really died.

and you took
your machete
and you said boo guess who
but seriously, beauty
you said
see ?
you get the drill now don’t you
it’s not a will or won’t
you can’t keep making symbols out of nothing

so i took your machete
and i sliced off your head and you laughed
and you said see
it’s just like anti matter
it’s dumbo’s magic feather
you don’t need me here to cut you
you don’t need me here to cut you
you don’t need me here to cut you
you don’t need me here to cut you

free.

Below, my translation into Spanish of Amanda Palmer’s Machete.
Above, kind lady with machete in Nicaragua’s Masaya vulcano. And me.
This translation (WIP) in memory of my kind German mom, Benita, the Anthony Martignetti of my life. I wrote about her here: http://minibego.com/es/2013/05/un-poco-de-azucar-un-poco-de-sal/.
She died last year.
/////

MACHETE, por Amanda Palmer

Traducción (en progreso) de Begoña Martínez

nunca me gustó la caja de cuchillos
dijiste que es una paradoja, porque eres buena gente
pero aguantaste una infancia que te birló
todo amor carente de peligro
así que aprendiste a luchar.
×3

¿qué hago con esto?
parece que fuera ayer que te llamé
sufrí un caso de pasado grave
no sabía cómo quitármelo de encima
no sabía cómo quitármelo de encima

y tomaste
tu machete
y rebanaste
los sarmientos
que se enredaban a mi alrededor
y dijiste
no sé qué estoy haciendo
así que seguiré cortando
un poco de sangre no importa
si así se liberan tus brazos

nunca me gustó la caja de cuchillos
dijiste que es una paradoja, porque eres buena gente
pero aguantaste una infancia que te birló
todo amor carente de peligro
así que aprendiste a luchar.
×2

¿qué hago con esto?
parece que fuera ayer que estaba enamorada
seguía tapando las partes blandas
no sabía cómo quitármelas de encima
no sabía cómo quitármelas de encima

y tomaste tu machete
y cortaste por los bosques
a nuestro alrededor
y dijiste
no sé dónde voy
solo sé que me alejo
de las cosas muertas
que se acumulan detrás de mí

y tomaste
tu machete
y abriste un camino
a mi pecho
y dijiste mira
no hay nada que no merezca la pena guardar
has sentido tantas palizas
pero
nada va a funcionar si me crees
nada va a funcionar si me crees

nunca me gustó la caja de cuchillos
dijiste que es una paradoja, porque eres buena gente
pero aguantaste una infancia que te birló
todo amor carente de peligro
así que aprendiste a luchar.
×2

nunca me gustó la caja de cuchillos
la llevé a la orilla del mar
el día de tu muerte
de pie en el muelle
por mucho que lo intenté
no los pude tirar
me derrumbé y lloré:

¿qué hago con todo esto?
parece que ayer aún vivías
y es como si nunca hubieras muerto
y es como si nunca hubieras muerto

y tomaste
tu machete
y dijiste, bu, adivina quién soy
en serio, bella
dijiste
¿ves?
ahora lo entiendes, ¿verdad?
no es un lo harás o no
no puedes seguir
creando símbolos de la nada

así que tomé
tu machete
y te corté la cabeza
y te reíste
dijiste ¿ves?
es igual que la antimateria
es la pluma mágica de Dumbo
no necesitas que esté yo para cortarte
no necesitas que esté yo para cortarte
no necesitas que esté yo para cortarte
no necesitas que esté yo para cortarte

y liberarte.

///
PS: Punctuation and capitalization have been left as in the original. I’m still working on the rhyme (for example love that was safe has been changed to love that wasn’t dangerous so it rhymes). Improvements, feedback, suggestions are all welcome (use the comments below).